Prevalence of carotid artery calcification in the 25-64-year population in a large city of the Siberian Federal District

Aim. To study the detection rate of carotid calcified plaques in the general population of a large city of the Siberian Federal District.

Material and methods. The data of 1412 people from a representative population sample aged 25-64 years in Tomsk (n=1600) were studied, who underwent an examination according to the ESSE-RF study protocol and an assessment of plaque structure by ultrasound. All respondents signed informed consent to participate in the study. Measurements were carried out according to previously published methods. The presence of an acoustic shadow was considered the criterion for calcified plaques. The level of p<0,05 was considered statistically significant.

Results. The prevalence of calcified plaques in the examined population sample was 5,4% (7,8% in men and 3,7% in women (odds ratio =2,2; p=0,001)), and among people aged 50-64 years — 10,3% (16,7% in men and 6,4% in women (odds ratio =2,9; p<0,001)). Calcified plaques were observed only after 45 years, amounting to 4,9 and 2,1% (p=0,144) at the age of 45-54 years, 22,0 and 8,8% (p<0,001) at the age of 55-64 years, in men and women, respectively. Among individuals with plaques (n=415), calcified plaques were detected in 21,5% of men and 14,9% of women (p=0,08). After 55 years, the proportion of such cases increased from 9,6 to 32,5% in men (p<0,001) and from 8,6 to 18,5% in women (p=0,08). The detection rate of carotid calcified plaques was closely associated with sex, and after 55 years was higher in men than in women.

Conclusion. In the general population aged 25-64 in Tomsk, calcified plaques were detected at the age of ³45 years, and more often in men than in women. The proportion of calcified plaques significantly increased in men after 55 years. Promising areas include studying the prognostic significance of calcified plaques, as well as factors contributing to plaque calcification. The study results can be used in practical healthcare activities, in research planning, and in the development of preventive technologies.

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